Black History Month

Wonderful Smith
Wonderful Smith (1911-2008) That is real name. Was the chauffeur to Hattle McDaniel in 1939. Became famous for a telephone routine called "Hello, Mr. President". This was performed on in Duke Ellington's "Jump of Joy" in 1941. That same year he became a cast member for Red Skelton's radio show.

Wonderful appeared as many characters on the show. He did telephone bits and was Deadeye's partner. Smith was drafted in the Army in 1942 but Red read his letters on the air. He returned to the show for the 1945-47 seasons. His contract ended in 1947 and was not renewed. Negative talk followed but if you look at the the 1947 season you will see that Skelton did other cast changes. Band leader David Forrester was replaced by David Rose and GeGe Pearson was replaced by Lurene Tuttle. 

Smith did some television in the 70s. He can be seen in the "Hello Cleveland" scene in "This is Spinal Tap" (1984).   


The Four Knights

 Singing group on Red Skelton's radio show 1948-50. Appeared on the TV show in 1951. 

Guest Stars and Singers on television

Nat King Cole (1953)

Mahalia Jackson (1962)

Dionne Warwick (3)

Nancy Wilson (2 times) 

Godfrey Cambridge (4 times)

Nipsey Russell (2 times)

Archie Moore (1965)

 

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"Gabe" Jackson taught young Red Skelton to play the ukulele.

Red Skelton Hour TimeLife DVD release 2016

TimeLife has release a collection of edited episodes of the Red Skelton Hour. The Red Skelton Hour in Color is a 10 disc set. The episodes are not complete. In most cases some musical numbers are edited out. In one case a silent spot is edited out. - MK

1966-1967 Opening

Disc1 - 1966/01/04 Forsooth, GS: Milton Berle; [Red and Berle are torture chamber salesmen. They end up entertaining knights in the field.] 1969/10/28 Deadeye, GS: John Wayne; [Celebrating John Wayne's 50 years in movies] 1967/10/31 Freddie, GS: Jackie Coogan, Tim Conway, Nancy Ames; [Freddie becomes a hippie] 1968/09/24 Clem GS: Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Ed Sullivan. [Karloff and Price thinks that Clem is a robot. Boris and Vincent sing.] Bonus interviews: Bobby Rydell; Vicki Lawrence

Disc 2 - 1966/09/20 Clem, GS: Mickey Rooney, Simon & Garfunkel [Rooney is gambler that is cursed to see Clem's face on people he meet.] 1967/02/14 Forsooth GS: George Gobel [Christopher Columbus] 1968/01/23 Clem GS: Phyllis Diller, Lou Rowls; [Diller is a old movie star trying to make a come back.] Deadeye, 1968/10/15 GS: Martha Raye [Raye tries to get rid of Deadeye.]

Disc 3 - 1966/12/13 Deadeye, GS: Robert Goulet; [Deadeye wants to be in a western movie.] 1966/03/01 Willie Lump Lump, GS: John Wayne; [Red performs his classic Dunking Donuts and Topsy Turvy skit.] 1969/01/14 Appleby, GS: Audrey Meadows; [Appleby and Clara go through their past and future anniversaries. Red recites The Pledge of Allegiance.] 1969/03/18 Bolivar, Deadeye, Willie Lump Lump, GS: Merv Griffin [Bolivar get guest for Merv Griffin's show.]

Disc 4 - 1968/03/12 Appleby, GS: Mike Connors; [Appleby believes that Clara is trying to kill him for insurance money.] 1967/10/10 Appleby, GS: Fernando Lamas, The 5th Dimension; [Appleby helps a "I Spy" type spy.] 1967/11/21 Bolivar, McPugg, Appleby, GS: Polly Bergen, Pat Carroll [An old man reviews his relatives to see who should inherit his money.]

Disc 5 - 1968/02/13 Deadeye, GS: Burl Ives, Lulu; [Deadeye looks for a crook in a ghost gold mine.] 1967/10/3 Forsooth, GS: Bert Lahr; [Forsooth fights a dragon.] 1968/04/30 Appleby, GS: Nipsey Russell, The Association [Appleby gets a exterminated for insurance.]


  Disc 6 - 1969/09/23 Pop, GS: Peter Graves; [Pop stowaway on a trip to Jupiter.] 1967/12/05 Freddie GS: George Gobel, Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons [Freddie tries to get Gobel's memory back.] 1967/09/12 GS: Mauice Evans [Seven stages of man.]

Disc 7 - 1966/02/01 Deadeye, GS: George Gobel [Deadeye tries to a famous painter to sign a wanted poster.] 1967/02/28 Freddie, GS: Terry-Thomas; [Freddie interferes with a highway beautification project.] 1967/03/21 San Fernando GS: Richard Chamberlain [Red is on trial for tax evasion.]


Disc 8 - 1967/04/04 Clem, GS: Tennessee Ernie Ford; [Clem tries to be an Olympic chicken pucker.] 1967/09/19 Deadeye, GS: Stanley Holloway, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 [Deadeye claims to be a brother of rich Englishman.] 1968/03/05 Clem, GS: Liberace [Liberace is Clem's brother.]
                          
Disc 9 - 1967/03/07 Appleby, GS: Mickey Rooney, Martha Raye; [George meets a rich friends that miss vaudeville days.] 1967/05/09 Appleby, GS: Nipsey Russell [Nipsey and George team up as a comedy team to get on TV.] 1967/10/17 Freddie, GS: Terry-Thomas, Nancy Wilson [Freddie is in a department store fashion show.]

Disc 10 - 1968/10/08 McPugg, Bolivar, GS: Maurice Evans, Shirley Bassey [McPugg learns to play the violin but Bolivar wants him to be a boxer.] Documentary: America's Clown.



A memory book is included with the 10 disc set. Many photos in the book are from the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy.